A cup match after the rain – following Friday's heavenly “blessing”, only the clouds remained over Kelenvölgy by Saturday, so the Kelen–Honvéd match, our team's first cup fixture of the season, kicked off in late-autumn-like cool weather but without rain.
The extremely likeable home side had clearly prepared thoroughly for the match. It was good to see the strong interest: not only did several hundred Kispest supporters travel to the game, but the stand reserved for home fans had also filled nicely by kick-off. In addition, a great many children and young footballers came out to watch. The teams took the field in a good atmosphere; everything was in place for a memorable cup battle.
The best way our team could contribute was by taking the match seriously, and Laczkó Zsolt's side began with exactly that attitude. Medgyes Zoltán threatened in the second minute and Bévárdi Zsombor in the third, although at that point no goal had been scored yet. Play took place almost exclusively in the home half. The home defenders cleared after a Holman Dávid corner and also blocked a shot from Medgyes Zoltán, who had been played into a good position following excellent dribbling by Keresztes Noel.
In the 16th minute, however, the first Kispest goal arrived. Medgyes passed to Bévárdi, who drove the ball across the middle, where it went into the net off Kámi Belián. Four minutes later we doubled our lead: Medgyes burst forward superbly from the left and fired into the bottom-left corner, 0–2.
We did not slow down despite the two-goal advantage, continuing to invest plenty of energy in our attacks, and our next two goals also came within four minutes of each other. This time the 33rd and 37th minutes were the winning numbers: Branko Pauljevic and Farkas Balázs both scored their first goals in a Honvéd shirt. The former fired under the bar after a Medgyes pass, while the latter bundled the ball into the net after an excellent Pekár István header. It is perhaps no exaggeration to say that by then we had settled the question of qualification. Late in the half Remili Mohamed converted a penalty to reduce Kelen's deficit, so the sides went into the break with Kispest leading 4–1.
Laczkó Zsolt made two changes at half-time. Holman Dávid and Medgyes Zoltán remained in the dressing room, with Lőrinczy Attila (who also took over the captain's armband) and Ihrig-Farkas Sebestyén coming on, which produced an Ihrig-Farkas-Balázs strike partnership. Perhaps the three-goal gap established after the opening forty-five minutes was the reason, but this half was played at a somewhat more restrained tempo than the first. Our team controlled the match and continued to attack more, although we created fewer clear-cut chances.
Two more of our players also made their competitive debuts in red and black during the second half: first Hangya Szilveszter and then Csilus Tamás entered the field. Around the middle of the half Bévárdi and Keresztes threatened, but no goal followed.
A chance for Borbély and a Lőrinczy shot heralded the closing stages, and in the 83rd minute Ihrig-Farkas won the ball and even finished the move with a goal, meaning that after his return he too scored his first Kispest goal. In the final minutes Pauljevic hit the crossbar from Bévárdi's pass, while after a Lőrinczy corner Czerula saved an excellent Csilus volley and a low effort from Hangya. The match ended with a standing ovation from the home supporters – indeed, both sides deserved the recognition! Our team ultimately won 5–1 and advanced to the last 32 of the Hungarian Cup.
MOL HUNGARIAN CUP, 2024/20245, ROUND 3 (FOR A PLACE IN THE LAST 32)
KELEN SC–BUDAPEST HONVÉD FC 1–5 (1–4)
Kelen SC Sports Ground
Ref: Juhász Bálint (Holpár G., Turi M.)
G: Remili (43. – penalty), Kámi (16. – own goal), Medgyes (20.), Pauljevic (33.), Farkas B. (37.), Ihrig-Farkas (82.)
Kelen: Czerula – Szabó N., Kámi, Bedővári, Juhász B. – Erdei (Kutsera, 71.), Szabó D. – Borbély, Kádár, Szabó G. (Koncz, 64.) – Remili (Vörös, at half-time )
Head coach: Simon Ákos
Honvéd: Dúzs – Pauljevic, Pekár, Ene (Szabó A., 56.), Kulbachuk, Bévárdi – Sigér, Keresztes (Csilus, 77.) – Medgyes (Ihrig-Farkas, at half-time), Holman (Lőrinczy, at half-time), Farkas B. (Hangya, 67.)
Head coach: Laczkó Zsolt
